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So why is that? Why is our Olympic team not more reflective of our society?

Cleaver says the reason is because of how we fund sport, and our focus, in particular, on high level sport.

The sports that take up the lion's share of funding - rowing, cycling and sailing - are expensive sports. There's no doubt about that. If you're an athlete competing in those sports, before you even get to the competition level, your family would have probably forked out significant money to get you there.

If I look at what I did when I was younger, I competed in equestrian for about 10 years, and it's an expensive sport. Just keeping a horse upright and capable of competing requires a lot of cash. I look back now and wonder how many times my parents muttered under their breath, "Why the hell couldn't she have just played netball". It would have been a lot cheaper.

But what Cleaver questions - and it's a really good question - is whether we've got our funding model right. Are we too focused on this two-week period every four years? The Olympic games. Are we too medal focused?

There are so many factors to consider when it comes to funding. What is the goal? What are we trying to achieve when it comes to funding sport?

Is it to increase the participation rate? Do we also need to acknowledge the role that sport plays when it comes to keeping kids and teens on the straight and narrow? How many athletes, particularly in rugby and league, will tell you that they were going down the wrong path when a teacher at school or a sports coach discovered they had a physical gift, and that turned their world around.

The New Zealand rowing team are do enjoy a lion's share of funding along with rowing and cycling. Photo / Getty